​​Life for refugee children in this camp is particularly harsh. Unemployment stands at 60%, there are high levels of disability, with limited services in place to address this. The supply of water to the camp is often rationed, and extreme poverty and overcrowding prevail.

Despite the upsurge of violence across the region, The Sheepfold continues to help children and young people with a wide range of special needs, especially those with no other place to go with severe disabilities.

Music Therapy is a powerful medium which helps children who may struggle to express themselves. This project was initiated in 2015 by ABCD Trustee and Music Therapist, Canon Claire Tillotson, in conjunction with Paediatric Psychiatrist Dr Souha Shehadeh, who leads the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation (BASR) Mental Health Team.

Music Therapy is a powerful medium which helps children who may struggle to express themselves. This project was initiated in 2015 by ABCD Trustee and Music Therapist, Canon Claire Tillotson, in conjunction with Paediatric Psychiatrist Dr Souha Shehadeh, who leads the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation (BASR) Mental Health Team.

The Centre for Rehabilitation Al Arroub Camp

Al Arroub Refugee Camp, home to 10,000 refugees, is located in the southern part of the West Bank between Bethlehem and Hebron. Its newly re-opened rehabilitation centre provides services for 250 handicapped children. The local volunteer team, all professionals, need your help to progress treatment of these children.

ABCD was approached by Al Arroub Refugee Camp Rehabilitation Centre for help and they have become our latest partner in 2019. ABCD Trustee and Project Manager Firas Sarhan collaborated at first hand with Ibrahim Sabatin, the Manager of the Centre who together with ABCD’s Field Advisor, Manar Jaber from Bethlehem University, drew up a list of needs and costs.

The centre had been closed for five years due to lack of funding and fallen into disrepair. ABCD has been able to help the local community with basic redecoration and reconstruction to create a more therapeutic space and fund basic necessary physiotherapy equipment – but more is needed. A physiotherapist, play therapist and speech therapist are now working at the centre on a voluntary basis and the centre is starting to thrive.

Life is changing for MohammedMohammed is 15. He had a bad fall when 2 ½ years old and is a paraplegic due to spinal injuries. He is given resistance limb treatment by Ahmad Karma (pictured), the just-qualified physiotherapist on an especially-adapted bed (funded by ABCD) three times a week for 1 – 1 ½ hour sessions.

His paraplegia had been made worse due to lack of intervention at an early age and he now needs an operation for tendon treatment to avoid more elbow calcification. He is learning to balance in the sitting position.

He has a wheelchair adapted by Bethlehem-based Richard of Wheelchair Angels and goes to school, a bright, cheerful boy who is given quite a comprehensive physio going-over by Ahmad.

(Photo: Mohammed being given physiotherapy by Ahmed.)

A lifeline for MahaMaha is an 8year old girl with severe congenital deformities She is having daily physiotherapy at the centre and the therapy team are teaching the family how to continue the treatment and how best to manage Maha at home.

The centre runs a support group for mothers and families – enabling them to share their problems and help with the isolation that these families inevitably feel.

Maha has a specially adapted wheelchair with thanks to ABCD which has improved her posture and increased the whole family’s mobility.

Our aim for the future is to assist funding the salaries and build up a child fund similar to our other two camp projects and develop communication channels with Jalazone, Nour Shams and BASR Rehabilitation centres and to integrate children with disabilities to all the local community activities.

The Centre for Rehabilitation Al Arroub Camp

The Centre for Rehabilitation Al Arroub Camp

The Centre for Rehabilitation Al Arroub Camp

The Centre for Rehabilitation Al Arroub Camp

The Centre for Rehabilitation Al Arroub Camp

The Centre for Rehabilitation Al Arroub Camp

The Centre for Rehabilitation Al Arroub Camp

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